MUIRHOUSE Youth Development Group’s minibus was the victim of arson on Saturday afternoon.
All at MYDG are devastated as this will have a massive impact on the project’s programme and what they are able to offer local young people.
If you have any information please contact @PoliceScotland on 101
Following the theft of a motorcycle from the North West of Edinburgh, which was reported on Monday (18 April), police were made aware of a linked incident in the West Pilton area later that day involving a group of youths.
This resulted in a 13-year-old boy being identified and charged in connection with attempted robbery and possession of a blade.
Enquiries are ongoing into the theft of the motorbike.
Police are appealing for witnesses after a man was hit by a car at Westside Plaza, in Wester Hailes. The incident happened around 9.30am yesterday (Thursday 14 April 2022) and is being treated as attempted murder.
The 45-year-old is currently in a serious condition in The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
Detective Inspector George Calder from CID at Corstorphine Police Station said: “The vehicle did not stop after the incident, but has now been recovered by officers, we are still trying to trace the occupants.
“We appeal to anyone who was in the area at the time, or has dash cam footage of the incident to come forward.
“Anyone with any information is asked to contact 101 quoting incident 0742 of 14 April 2022.”
An Edinburgh man has been sentenced to more than nine years for drugs and organised crime offences.
Shaun McKinnon (35) was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh today for his involvement in the supply of drugs and serious and organised crime. He is also subject to a Serious Crime Prevention Order for a period of 3 years.
He pled guilty at the High Court in Glasgow on Thursday, 17 February, 2022, when he appeared alongside his co-accused Samantha McCafferty (35) who pled guilty at an earlier date. McCafferty received 200 hours community service.
Detective Inspector Robert Campbell said: “I would personally like to acknowledge and praise the bravery of the victims who refused to let fear and intimidation stop them from speaking out.
“The arrests of McKinnon and McCafferty were achieved through painstaking work and dogged determination by officers working on the investigation. Their efforts have ensured that McKinnon is no longer in a position where he can bring harm to the local people of South Edinburgh.”
If you have any information or concerns about drug misuse or wider criminality in your area, do not hesitate to contact Police Scotland via 101 or report it anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Crimestoppers Scotland has joined with Network Rail, BTP Scotland and the rail industry to tackle sexual harassment by ensuring people understand what constitutes such behaviour.
The campaign will also inform people of the action they can take to report sexual harassment if they witness it and thereby help to combat it.
New research shows a lack of awareness about the seriousness of non-physical types of sexual harassment, which can be distressing and frightening for those who experience them.
The survey of over 2,500 people, carried out for the Rail Delivery Group by 2CV, reveals just a minority of rail passengers realise that wolf whistling (30%), inappropriate staring (37%) or someone sitting/standing too close on an otherwise quiet carriage (39%) is sexual harassment.
Government research shows that 84% of women and 60% of men in the UK population have experienced sexual harassment in their lifetime.
To tackle this, the rail industry is raising awareness about what constitutes sexual harassment with a Scotland-wide social media campaign, information distributed at Scotland’s stations – including big screens – to report instances where they feel unsafe. This will make it clear to perpetrators that their behaviour is not tolerated on the railway.
The rail industry expects that promoting a shared understanding of what sexual harassment looks like will help people who see or experience it gain the confidence to speak. This will help ensure perpetrators are held accountable for their actions and BTP is encouraging reporting to give them a greater opportunity to detect and punish offenders.
Allan Brooking, Community Safety Manager at Network Rail Scotland said: “Any form of sexual harassment is unacceptable on our railway and in wider society. We want all our customers to feel confident that they can use the railway without feeling unsafe, violated, or intimidated.
“This campaign will contribute to making Scotland’s Railway safer, ensuring people understand what constitutes sexual harassment and what actions they can take to report sexual harassment.
“We are working closely with Crimestoppers, BTP and the wider rail industry to demonstrate how we can all play our part in keeping each other safe and show that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated on our network”
BTP Detective Chief Inspector Arlene Wilson said: “Sexual harassment is anything that makes you or anybody else feel uncomfortable with a sexual element.
“This campaign is about educating people on what is not acceptable and how to report it, so we can work together to make the rail network a hostile environment for sexual harassment. Each report we receive provides us with valuable information which we can use to build an accurate picture of an offender and take action.
“We need to work together with the community to tackle this behaviour and create this hostile environment to discourage people from behaving in this manner. If you look at the root cause of some the behaviours around sexual assault it all stems from sexual harassment.
“We urge anyone who experiences or witnesses sexual harassment to text us on 61016, whether something is happening at the time or has happened recently. Save 61016 in your phone, so you have the number to hand should you ever need us.
“No report is too small or trivial, and we will always take you seriously.”
Jacqueline Starr, Chief Executive of the Rail Delivery Group, said: “Every form of sexual harassment is serious and actions like leering, sitting unnecessarily close or making sexual comments are unacceptable on our railway and in wider society.
“As an industry, we’re committed to ensuring there is no unsafe space on the railway by showing the small number of perpetrators that they are not welcome on trains and at stations. The British Transport Police will hold them to account to make train journeys safer for everyone.”
The campaign reminds passengers that they can contact BTP via text to report any cases of sexual harassment that they witness. By sending a short message with details of what they’ve seen to 61016, witnesses can help BTP to identify perpetrators and reduce potential harm for others in the future. In an emergency, always dial 999.
Angela Parker, National Manager of charity Crimestoppers Scotland, said: “Our charity believes that everyone has the right to feel safe, and that includes when travelling on public transport. Sexual harassment must be stamped out which is why we along with Network Rail Scotland and partners are playing our part in supporting this important campaign.
“If you are uncomfortable about reporting someone you know who is responsible for sexual harassment, remember that you can speak up completely anonymously by calling the railway’s sexual harassment line which is powered by Crimestoppers on 0800 783 0137.
“We guarantee no one will ever know you contacted us and you will be helping to protect others from the harm caused by this unacceptable criminal behaviour.”
Police are appealing for information after a 10-year-old boy was approached in the street and robbed next to a park in the Trinity area at around 5.30pm last night (Thursday, 31 March).
The boy was walking in Zetland Place near its junction with Stirling Road at Lomond Park, along with two friends when he was approached by an older male youth.
The youth was walking from the direction of Trinity Road with two others and asked the boy to hand over his bag and when he refused he was threatened. As a result he handed over some coins.
The suspect then ran off towards Trinity Road. He is described as aged 16 to 18-years old, around 5ft 9ins, of medium build with red hair. He was wearing a black puffer-style jacket with the hood up, black tracksuit bottoms, black shoes and was carrying a black bag.
Detective Constable Rich Paton said: “This was a nasty and horrible experience for a school child who was out with friends on the way to a park. He has been left extremely upset by the incident.
“I am asking anyone who saw what happened to get in touch, particularly if you have ring-bell or dash-cam footage. In addition if you know the suspect or anything else that could help with our enquiries then please contact us.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 2620 of Thursday, 31 March, or contact the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Police Scotland has released images of a male and female they believe may hold information which might assist in relation to a serious assault which occurred around 11.20pm on Sunday, 12 December, 2021, on Market Street, directly underneath North Bridge.
The male in the images is described as being white, in his mid-30s, around 5ft 9in tall and of medium build with short dark hair. He is wearing a grey/blue padded jacket and a two tone blue hooded jumper, blue jeans and was carrying a plastic orange carrier bag and a cream baseball cap.
The female in the images is described as white, in her mid-30s, around 5ft 5in and of small build. She was wearing a knee length black padded jacket with the hood up and had small-framed glasses.
Detective Constable Gary Lipscombe, from Edinburgh CID, said: “I would urge the male and female, or anyone who has information relating to the male and female, depicted in these images to make contact with the police.
“Members of the public can contact Police Scotland via 101 quoting incident number 3829 of 12 December, 2021. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, if you wish to remain anonymous.”
Police are appealing for information following a housebreaking in the Oxgangs area. The incident happened between 1.30pm on Tuesday, 22 March, and 7.30pm on Wednesday, 23 March, at a property in Swan Spring Avenue.
Jewellery worth around £7,000, headphones and a black VW T30 highline van, registration number T5 KPE (pictured), were taken.
Detective Sergeant Steven Dick said: “We are keen to speak to anyone who saw anything suspicious at this property and who may have door-bell or dash-cam footage that could help with our enquiries.
“I am also appealing to anyone who may have seen the car being driven to get in touch to help with our investigation to recover it and the rest of the items that have been stolen.”
Anyone who can help is asked to call Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 3049 of Wednesday, 23 march, 2022.
Now that the weather is improving Police are expecting more people to be out and about on their motorbikes. Here are some tips on how to secure your motorbike:
– Ensure your bike is fitted with a combined alarm and immobiliser which will deter thieves when the alarm sounds.
– Attach both a disc lock and U-lock. Do not rely on one device, The more security placed on your bike, the less attractive it is to a thief.
– Try to park under street lights.
– When applying your locks, ensure they are secured to a solid anchor point or a permanent piece of street furniture. Keep the lock off the ground where possible as this makes it difficult for the thief to remove.
– Cover your motorcycle and ensure the cover is attached to the security device.
– Where possible use ‘Thatcham’ or ‘Secure by Design’ approved devices www.securedbydesign.com. These have been tested by the industry and are generally agreed to be some of the most robust security devices available.
– Ensure you always activate the steering lock.
– Avoid leaving your helmet or other possessions on the motorcycle, in luggage space or panniers.
– Be vigilant, ensure that you are not being followed home and check for suspicious items attached to your motorcycle.
Social Media
Think about what you share on any app and regularly review your security settings
– Make sure your posts do not identify your home and make it a target.
Tracking Devices
Tracking devices are an effective covert security measure. Although they may not prevent your motorcycle from being stolen, it will assist police in tracing and recovering the vehicle quickly.
Marking and Identification Systems
Datatag ID – Datatag is a piece of technology which can be attached to various parts of your motorcycle. It comes in different forms, dependent on what is most appropriate and is unique to each individual. For more information on this product, please visit www.datatag.co.uk.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is today warning customers not to share sensitive personal information online to avoid their identities being used to commit tax fraud.
HMRC is aware that criminals are attempting to obtain customers’ Government Gateway logins and other personal details, enabling them to register for Income Tax Self Assessment and submit bogus tax refund claims before pocketing the repayment.
Individuals, ranging from teenagers to pensioners, are being targeted on social media platforms by fraudsters seeking to ‘borrow’ their identities. In return, the individual is promised a cut of the tax refund ‘risk-free’.
Handing over sensitive personal information to criminals like this, even inadvertently, risks individuals involving themselves in tax fraud, and having to pay back the full value of the fraudulent claim.
Customers should therefore only deal with HMRC directly or through their tax advisor in relation to their Self Assessment tax refunds.
Simon Cubitt, Head of Cybercrime, HMRC said: “People need to think extremely carefully before they involve themselves in an arrangement like this, because if something looks too good to be true, then it almost certainly is.
“Those who get involved risk becoming the victim of blackmail, threats of violence and wider abuse of their personal information, as criminals seek to exploit them further.
“I urge anyone who may be aware of these dishonest attempts to recruit individuals into criminality, to report it us by searching ‘Report Fraud HMRC’ on GOV.UK and completing our online form.”
In addition to their Government Gateway credentials, customers may also be asked to provide details of their bank account, passport, driving licence, address, date of birth, and National Insurance number.
HMRC is working with other law enforcement agencies and social media companies to tackle criminality on online platforms.
Last month (10 February), HMRC made coordinated arrests of four individuals aged between 16 and 33 in Hertfordshire, Bristol, Derbyshire and Buckinghamshire as part of an investigation into suspected Self Assessment repayment fraud and money laundering offences. Investigations are ongoing.
